Solar advocate Nancy LaPlaca considers state office: “Arizona is at a crossroads.”

Citing Arizona’s potential to be a leader in renewable energy, former Arizona Corporation Commission policy adviser Nancy LaPlaca announced today she is considering running for a position on the ACC in 2014.

“Arizona is at a crossroads on critical policies for electricity, gas and water.” Nancy LaPlaca.

“Clean energy will grow our economy and bring us good-paying jobs we can be proud of,” LaPlaca said in a statement released today.

“Instead of leading the U.S. in the $100B global solar energy industry,” she continued, “our current commission is satisfied that only 2% of in-state electricity comes from solar while we send $2+ billion in ratepayer money every year to Texas, Colorado and New Mexico to buy coal and natural gas. Those dollars should stay in Arizona…”

The five-member ACC sets utility rates and implements programs to nurture renewable energy — or to ignore it. After being a national leader in RE for many years, the ACC has, say its critics, abandoned that role, following November’s election in which the commission’s only Democrats were voted off and replaced by Republicans.

In January, the new ACC sent shock waves throughout the solar industry when it announced without warning that some of the most important solar incentives would be eliminated.

LaPlaca cited her four years experience as a policy adviser to ACC member, Democrat Paul Newman. During most of that time, the ACC was led by Kristin Mayes, a Republican who made Arizona one of the most renewable-friendly states in the country.

In addition to renewable energy, LaPlaca stressed the ACC’s role in solving other critical resource issues.

“The Southwest is feeling the results of rising temperatures and drought,” she stated. “A recent U.S. Geological Survey report says the Verde River is at serious risk of going dry and some water wells have already failed. We need smarter policies that value not only water, but all of our critical natural resources.”